


Coming to Terms

by Gamebird



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Blow Job, Canon-Compliant, I'm not even sure I should tag it as such, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, Post-Crait, hurt/comfort maybe, reference to canon-typical violence and abuse, the absolute mildest of domestic abuse, they're both virgins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-12-30 03:12:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18307025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamebird/pseuds/Gamebird
Summary: Set immediately after Crait. Hux tries to retire to his quarters and get some rest, but the new supreme leader is not yet done with him.





	1. Coming to Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set immediately after Crait. Hux tries to retire to his quarters and get some rest, but the new supreme leader is not yet done with him. Ren has a novel way to defuse Hux's assassination schemes. Hux reluctantly has to admit it works.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by art from Pixie Punch! on Tumblr (pixie_punch on twitter): https://pixiepunch.tumblr.com/post/138979381552/quietly-leaves-this

The cold water felt good against his face. Hux's lips parted as he let his head hang over the sink. Salty, mineral-laced water dripped from him. His head was throbbing. His fingers twitched on the edges of the sink. Muscle spasms were not an uncommon side effect from the crash after prolonged usage of stimulants. He didn't regret it. There had been no other way to get through the preceding days. It wasn't like he'd been centered and well-rested going into the clusterfuck that the Battle of Crait had ended up being.

Outside the refresher, he heard the door to his quarters slide open. He jerked upright and yanked his blaster from the holster. He stepped out decisive and quick, the business end of the weapon trained on the intruder. Even in his muddled state, he was sure he'd locked that door. Seeing who it was, he realized locks didn't matter.

The 'Supreme Leader' himself stood there, looking unperturbed to have Hux pointing a blaster at him. Hux blinked at him, a dozen things struggling through his fatigue-impaired mind. Foremost was regret that if he had pulled the trigger immediately, he would have had the excuse of surprise (not that such held much legal weight, but then again, what sort of prosecution was there these days for being involved in killing the supreme leader? Given Ren's current status, apparently the answer was none.) Somewhere subsequent to that thought was that he was still holding a blaster leveled at Ren and at some point, Ren was going to lash out and end him.

It wasn't as terrible a prospect as it should have been.

Hux waited. Ren's brows crept up slightly. Their stand-off had been going on entirely too long now. There was no possible way to construe this as anything other than intentionally brandishing a weapon at a superior officer. Also, there was no possible way to construe Ren's response as anything other than Ren waiting to see if Hux would really pull the trigger. Which was ridiculous. Even exhausted as he was, angry, mutinous, and still hurting from being slammed around by this lout, Hux wasn't going to shoot his superior officer.

The blaster went back in its holster. Hux attempted to act like nothing important had happened. "Supreme Leader. To what do I owe the visit?"

"You left the hangar bay while I was distracted."

Hux considered that. Blearily. He wiped away some of the moisture on his face. Was it an accusation or just a statement? Why did his departure matter at all? His shift was long since over. The battle was done. He wasn't even in charge. Briefing everyone and giving orders was now Ren's job – a small perk of the man's usurpation that Hux felt no guilt in exploiting. "So I did."

"We have things to discuss."

"Do we?" But no, his tone would not do. It sounded confrontational and while Hux was far from above that, it was stupid if he truly intended to undermine Ren and more importantly, he was too tired to argue. He wouldn't do it effectively in his current condition. "I mean, we … certainly. I was just cleaning up." He waved vaguely at his quarters, trying to work out if he was supposed to invite Ren to have a seat or if he should rebutton his tunic and leave with the man. "I'm not sure what level of decorum …"

"Finish what you were doing."

Hux rolled his eyes, grumbled (doing such was stupid and unwise, but he was so tired that nothing seemed to matter), and went in the refresher. He continued taking off his tunic on autopilot, getting all the way to his waist before realizing the gun belt had to be removed first. He did so, shooting a glance to the side where he saw Ren had sat on the edge of his bed.

It was obnoxiously familiar, but hard to object to. It was the only place to sit that provided line of sight into the refresher and he would prefer that to having Ren stand around menacingly or prowling his quarters unseen. At least this way, the man looked … well, maybe not relaxed. "Are you tired as well," Hux asked in an attempt at conversation, "or does the Force prevent that?" He finished taking off his tunic and tossed it down the laundry chute.

"I'm tired. The Force helps."

Hux wet a cloth. "I left the hangar bay because the stims were wearing off. I can't … I won't function well. If you need me to work another shift, then I can visit the medbay. I've used up the stims I had available to me personally."

"No."

Good. Thank the stars. There were only so many stims you could take before one's judgment was dangerously impaired. As risky as that was for a stormtrooper who might get themselves killed or shoot a companion, it was far worse for someone in Hux's position who might make the wrong call. Like not being sharp enough to realize he should have blasted the  _Raddus_  out of existence instead of staying over-focused on the transports.

An argument could be made that he was responsible for the catastrophe that had resulted in, what? a million deaths on their side and concordant loss of material? Was that what Ren was here about? Overuse of stims also bred paranoia. He knew that, so he put his concern aside. He washed his face and rolled the cloth around to the back of his neck. The mineral was itchy where it had been trapped along his collar line. Ren was being strangely silent for someone who had urgent matters to discuss with him. Hux asked, "How go the rescue efforts?"

"They go. I'll have a full report tomorrow. For now, that's the first priority."

"Not following the Resistance?" He walked out of the refresher unsteadily, wondering if Ren was finally taking his advice on not getting distracted. The rest of the galaxy was there for the taking. Why waste resources trying to blast a few stragglers when entire planets waited for their conquest? The room seemed to be trying to spin, like he was drunk.

"No."

"Hardly anything left of them, anyway. If no one came to their aid, then they're … they're …" It was hard to find the right words. What he meant was 'they didn't matter'. But he was so tired. His tongue felt thick and clumsy in his mouth. His eyes wanted to slide shut. This was not the moment to take a nap, but his body didn't seem to care. Everything went black.

The last thing he heard was Ren's voice raised in alarm or at least surprise, saying, "Hux?" If it was a command, he was beyond responding to it.

When he woke, it was a slow process – all of it a routine catalog of stim abuse side effects. His head was throbbing. The pain took up nearly all his awareness. He felt bone-deep tired, like doing anything – anything at all – was too much. Even opening his eyes was an effort, but he managed it. He was in his bed, stripped to his undershirt, still wearing pants. His boots were gone. He was under a blanket. These last were not routine side effects.

The mattress shifted behind him. He was facing the wall and despite a spike of terror, it seemed too difficult to roll over. He felt paralyzed. Fingers touched his shoulder. Then the side of his neck. The hand touching him was bare. Cool fingertips moved to his temple and he was finally able to manage a coherent thought. There was only one person this could be, but why was another matter. "Ren?"

"Rest." Ren's voice. The hand moved on to his head. Inside his mind, Hux felt an option present itself – relax and let Ren take the pain away, or resist and suffer through it. He swallowed and rolled over – a more monumental task than it should have been, but he managed it. It was indeed Kylo Ren, who was also … somewhat undressed. He was in an undershirt and pants. Had they been  _sleeping_  together?

"What's going on?" Hux had not accepted the offer. His head still throbbed so much that his teeth ached. He felt nauseous.

"I need you back in operation as quickly as possible." Hux gave him an unconvinced look. Ren huffed. "Also, I can feel your pain. Let me take it away. I'll block your perception of it."

"Like a mind trick? Those only work on the weak-willed." Did that mean it would work on him or not? He resisted on principle. The only way he'd allow it was if Ren overpowered him.

Ren sighed. "Or on those who choose to allow it." He turned, mostly facing away with an unhappy set to his features. "Everyone … fights me. You're no different." His shoulders slumped. He rubbed at his own temples.

"Why wouldn't I?" Hux answered. "I wake up in pain with you in my bed, I …" What the hell was he supposed to do?

"I can help."

"I don't trust you! Why should I? You've done things! To me! Things that were uncalled for. Even mentioning them I think you'll kill me for!" He stopped there, displeased with his grammar. If they were to be his last words, he didn't want them inarticulate or jumbled.

Kylo Ren put his palm over the side of his own face. "They're not your last words."

"What, are you reading my mind? I didn't … Stop it."

"Stop broadcasting, then. You're tired. Your defenses are down. You're radiating pain. You're refusing help. I don't … I don't know what to do." He made a helpless, frustrated gesture with one arm. "With you. With anyone. I can't just burn it all down. I won't leave! I'm not going to abandon this!"

Did he mean the First Order? Leaving it was an option for Ren? It wasn't for Hux. He had nowhere he could go. Or wanted to go. "You sound like you're talking to yourself."

Ren glanced at him sourly, but fell silent.

"By all means, continue." Such emotional unburdening was bizarre behavior in the Order. Hux had no idea what to do with it, but it was interesting to hear. Maybe Ren would drop useful information.

Ren snorted. He pivoted and showed Hux his hands, held up between them, palms toward Hux. Hux looked at them with concern. Was this it, then? Would he be strangled? Beaten? Or was that just the paranoia talking? Ren moved his hands forward, to Hux's temples. This was it - he was going to force him to rest, overpower him with the Force. Snoke had done similar, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Ren would sink to the same depths. Hux tensed and stiffened his spine as he lay on the bed.

Ren's touches were gentle. His thumbs rested on Hux's temples. The thick fingers of his big hands threaded into his hair. Fingertips flexed rhythmically against his scalp. It felt good, but that was the power speaking, right? Ren's eyes slid shut. He kept moving his fingers in different patterns, then finally planted his far hand on the pillow and used the other to pet Hux's hair.

Hux finally relaxed. He blinked. Ren's eyes were still shut. Hux felt silly – fighting back against … nothing. Either the power had failed to take root, or Ren was playing a long game, or Ren had decided not to use the Force and was just … caressing him. Because it felt nice? Well, it  _did_  feel nice. Hux let himself relax in slow, wary stages.

This was familiar and intimate. It was something he had no precursor events to judge it against. He hadn't been handled like this since he was a boy and even then it had been something to be suspicious of and careful about. Hair tousling was as often as not followed by a slap. His father seemed to think the one demanded the other – you couldn't show approval without applying punishment. But … Hux realized he'd already been punished. Repeatedly. So maybe this was okay?

His lids felt heavy. His head didn't hurt as much. The gentle, soothing touches were lifting away the pain. Was it really a bad thing to accept a mental block from the rest of it? Jedi used to do it all the time as far as Hux knew. That was how Ren had made it through the Battle of Crait without stims. It wasn't weakness to allow it. That Ren even needed his permission was proof he wasn't weak. And this felt so nice. His eyes slid shut and stayed that way. He accepted the offer. The pain faded. Sleep returned.

The next time he woke, he felt better. He felt empty (and still tired) but not in pain. He rolled over to find that indeed, there was Kylo Ren, slumbering next to him. Hux stared at him for long moments, until his held breath demanded that he stop. Hux sucked in air. He rolled to his back and stared upward, considering his next step.

His knife was gone. It must have been removed from his arm when his undertunic had been taken off. But even if he had had it, he wasn't going to roll over and stab his bedmate to death. Supreme leader or no, there wasn't much point to such a murder. Even in the unlikely event he would get away with it somehow. Although now that he reflected, it wouldn't be bad to rule unfettered. The First Order reigned over the galaxy. All he needed to do was fail to fuck up. Which was why the Order would be better off with him in charge than this lunk next to him.

About said lunk … Ren's words from before came back to Hux: 'I don't know what to do'. Then the question of why Ren had come here: 'we have things to discuss.' And a last bit, that Hux inferred rather than being told: Ren was safer here than he was in his own quarters. No assassination attempt would expect to find him  _here_. Not to mention the fact that Hux was the most likely to attempt to assassinate him and he'd already decided to put that possibility on indefinite hold.

The reason for that indefinite hold: the supreme leader was lost and looking for guidance. Whatever had happened with the girl from the Resistance, Snoke, the infiltration of the  _Supremacy_ , and the disaster of the Battle of Crait, the supreme leader was lost and now looking for  _Hux's_  guidance. Well. Yes. Definitely call off the assassination plots. Hux wanted to explore this.

He sat up and carefully climbed out of bed, leaving Ren undisturbed. To one side was a neat pile of Ren's clothes on the floor, topped by the man's light saber. Hux passed it by. In the refresher, his knife scabbard had been set on top of his gun belt. Here were his weapons. Out there was a (presumably) sleeping supreme leader. Hux snorted softly and closed the door. He went about getting a decent shower. That was more important.

When he exited, he was naked, hair wet and sticking in all directions. He moved to his wardrobe like he owned the place, which he did. They were his quarters and if Ren was going to impose himself, then he had to deal with Hux doing as he pleased. Ren was sitting on the edge of the bed, his own hair rumpled. He admired the view once before looking away. Hux turned to face him, underwear in hand but off to the side. "You want to look?" he said challengingly.

Ren's gaze came back, slowly, in a direct line to Hux's eyes. So direct that he was clearly not looking anywhere else.

If Hux didn't miss his mark, there was something of a blush on the supreme leader's cheeks. Hux taunted, "I didn't mean at my face. If you're interested in the rest …" He waved at himself mockingly. He did not look like much of anything – skinny and pasty like that offensive pilot had said. He had a thin, weedy body that lacked pleasing proportions that spoke of strength or martial skill. Out of uniform, no one looked at him twice.

Ren's gaze dropped. It was a slow perusal. Hux felt his cheeks heat, but he stood there anyway. He had  _never_  had anyone look at him like this. What glances he'd garnered as a teen or a cadet had been pitying at best. Hux became startlingly aware there was no pity in Ren's gaze – only hunger and interest. Hux swallowed. His heart was beating too fast all of a sudden. He felt … heavy … between his legs. Kriff. He was getting an erection! All it had taken was the barest whiff of interest from someone! Ren's eyes lingered on that.

"Have you seen enough?" Hux's voice squeaked humiliatingly.

Ren looked up at him. "I don't know. Have I?" he purred.

This was really happening. Hux was not going to retreat in the face of this sort of challenge. He met it head-on. He walked over to Ren, ignoring the dangling sway of his cock against his thighs as he moved. Ren didn't ignore it. But he tilted his head up to make eye contact when Hux stopped. Hux told him, "You want my cooperation? You know how to get it."

Ren reached out and touched the outside of Hux's thigh. "Do I?"

"You ask a lot of questions for someone who reads minds and patently knows what's going on." Though to be honest, Hux didn't know if he was pushing this too far. Ren had given him a few caresses last night and a look this morning. That didn't necessarily mean he was willing to do more. Ren sure wasn't acting offended, though.

Ren's hand smoothed up to Hux's buttock, fingers nudging a little, urging him forward. Hux waited a beat, not wanting to appear eager (he could hardly believe this was happening; of course he was eager), before taking a step closer. "Ah," Ren said, "I do."

He started by licking the inward side of Hux's cock, the top side. At first it was tentative, then a wide swipe from glans to base that left Hux sucking in air and shifting his weight back and forth between his feet. Then Ren mouthed at the tight copper curls of pubic hair. Hux dropped the underwear. He obviously didn't need them. But he did want his hands free. He put them on Ren's shoulders, leaning forward a little. He'd never had  _this_ , either. He breathed out a little whimper before shutting himself up.

Kylo Ren. He'd caught Hux's eye the first moment he'd seen him – black cowl, robes, helmet – all unique. Distinctive. Exotic from Hux's point of view. No amount of clothing could hide the man's build, his strength, or his muscular grace. He was intimidating. He carried an aura of menace and while Hux pretended to ignore it, he definitely felt it. He saw how others cringed away from it and he envied that. He envied a lot about Kylo Ren. Which was why looking down and seeing the man carefully sucking on the top third of Hux's dick was such a rush.

He was fully hard. Erect. Ren was putting his over-sized mouth to work, pulling Hux's length within him. His tongue worked along the underside. He sucked harder now, sure of himself. Ren's hands cupped Hux's ass cheeks, gripping him firmly, providing counterbalance as his head bobbed.

Still leaning on Ren's shoulder with one hand, Hux touched at Ren's hair with the other. It was silky, softer than it looked. He made a fist in it – some illusion or reality of control. He didn't know which, nor cared to establish it with certainty at the moment. He had no idea who was in charge here. That might have terrified him under other circumstances, but for now he only cared about the orgasm that was rushing to him. The prospect of spilling his seed into Supreme Leader Kylo Ren's greedy throat made his head spin.

All sorts of forbidden, lewd images flashed across his mind. If Ren would do this for him, what else? He'd let Hux pulse inside of him, fill him up, maybe even fuck him? Follow his orders? Suggestions, at least. Hux bit his lip to stifle the moan at how much power this gave him.

He moved his hips in short jerks as his peak approached. His hands gripped tighter – the one into Ren's brawny shoulder and the other cradling the back of his head. Hux's breaths became rough. His voice finally betrayed him with involuntary noises he couldn't muffle. He moaned in passion with every breath. He thrust deep, as far as Ren could take him, feeling him gag once around the head of his cock and then freeze. Hux spurted into him, inside him, inside someone else, inside the supreme leader of the First Order …!

He'd barely finished when Ren gently pushed him back, swallowed, and took a deep breath.

Only then did Hux wonder if he was going to be killed for this. Giddily, he considered that at least he'd die happy. Watching his softening, spit-slick cock slide out from between Ren's plush lips – now that was something worth dying for. Or so he thought at the moment, irrational though it was. Hux began to chuckle, then laugh. Saliva and some lingering drop of come leaked from the tip of his dick.

Ren licked his lips, then wiped them on the back of his hand. "Have no fear."

Hux snorted. "You know I don't." He ruffled Ren's hair and then slapped him on the cheek. Hux sauntered off to the refresher. Something hit him in the back of the head as he reached the doorway. He flinched and spun, but it was just his underwear. With a flick of his hand, Ren sent them into Hux's face. Hux snatched them out of the air, seeing the smirk on Ren's face. Hux smiled.

Yes, things were going to be fine.


	2. Terms with Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux is forced to admit that Ren's unorthodox method of preventing assassination will work. As far as Hux is concerned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, no, the first chapter was supposed to be a one-shot, but then I accidentally wrote a second chapter. Sorry. :(

The next day was busy. Hux only saw the supreme leader twice. Once was in passing – hardly worth mentioning. The other was when Hux gave a summary of the rescue operations and fleet status at the end of his first shift. (He would go on to work a second shift, as would everyone else while they were on emergency footing, but the second shift summary would be relayed by a primary officer who was fresh. By the end of sixteen hours after a hellacious week before it, Hux was not that officer.)

But at the end of his first shift, he'd been the one talking. Ren had listened intently, then given his orders. Hux recommended against one of them, gaining him a narrow-eyed, menacing expression that told him the submission of the bedroom did not extend to their professional roles. Not that Hux had imagined it did. He wasn't stupid. He hadn't fancied himself promoted just because Ren was willing to suck his cock. He hurried to justify his recommendation in terms Ren could follow.

The supreme leader's expression turned from resentful to sullen, then thoughtful. He agreed and changed his orders. Hux nodded. The submission might not extend to elsewhere, but there was a willingness to listen to him that hadn't been there before. Also, Hux had less fear of being smashed into a wall for having the temerity to make suggestions. It was something.

When he entered his quarters at the end of his shift, he found Ren there, having arrived just ahead of him if he was to judge anything from the bag Ren had just started unpacking. Hux paused inside the door, tugging off his gloves as Ren continued taking out toiletries and personal items, arranging them on the table Hux used for cards or drinks on those rare occasions when he socialized privately.

It was tempting to ask if Ren intended their sleeping together to be a regular thing but doing so introduced the possibility that it wouldn't be, or the insinuation that Hux disapproved of it (or maybe that he didn't and was overly interested in the option). He went with aloof instead. Obviously, Ren planned on sleeping here tonight. Hux went about undressing.

He had a quick shower, emerging from the refresher naked as he had the night before. Ren was stripped as well. He was a massive man, all of it muscle and scars. The idea of bending him over the bed and taking a monster like him was intoxicating. That broad back laid out in front of him, rounded ass, thick thighs, shapely hips? He was stiffening just thinking about it.

"You can," Ren said quietly.

"No," Hux said sharply, as much to Ren as himself. "We don't have time for that. We have work tomorrow." In his imagination, the plowing he wanted to give Ren would take hours. He'd make it last as long as possible, drawing it out until Ren begged for merciful completion. He was fairly sure that in reality, sex didn't take that long. He didn't care. He supposed he'd find out later, if things continued as they were. But either way, he was reluctant to leap straight to it.

Still.

He surveyed Ren's body. It was a shame not to get more use out of it, since it was on offer. His gaze settled on Ren's lips. Especially that mouth – it had proven so skilled the night before. It wouldn't hurt to take advantage of that again … but he'd already said no. Hux moved to him anyway, taking Ren's chin in hand and leaning in for a kiss.

This, at least, Hux had had some clumsy fumblings at when he was a cadet. From the wooden way Ren responded at first, Hux assumed the man had even less experience. Good. They could learn together. It was nice that they were of a height (or close enough; Hux insisted on thinking of them as equally tall and Ren's height being due to vanity-inspired thicker soles on his boots). He staunchly ignored that they were both bare-footed at the moment and he was  _still_  tilting up just slightly. It was the way Ren was standing, of course.

Hux drew him closer, changing from just pressing together lips to working his mouth. He turned his head, mouthing gently. It felt good – ticklish in spots, but good. Ren responded. Hux moaned softly and teased his tongue along Ren's lips. He let his eyes fall shut. He existed in a blissful state of absorption, feeling only this, breathing Ren in, feeling the skin of his shoulders under Hux's hands and Ren's hands on his sides. The kiss went on until he felt dizzy and could taste nothing but Ren on his tongue.

Hux finally parted from him, panting. He was hard and wanting. Ren let one hand drop to rub the back of his fingers along the side of Hux's erect shaft. "No!" Hux pushed him at the refresher. "Go shower! I said no." He headed to the cabinets built into the walls where his pajamas were kept. "I'm not some lust-addled reprobate who loses all sense at the hint of sex!" He refused to watch as Ren disappeared into the refresher.

He cupped himself through the pajamas when he heard the shower come on. But no. He wouldn't give in. It was stupid. He availed himself of a cigarra instead. He lit it as he laid out on his side of the bed. He supposed both sides were his, as it was his bed, but it was nice that there was someone else who wanted to be in it, enough so that he had cause to pick a side for himself. He'd need to order a bigger bed if this was going to be an ongoing situation.

He took a long drag and thought about the prioritization of what field repair resources they had at their disposal. One of the bays on the larger section of the  _Supremacy_  was still operational, but they had a dozen star destroyers needing serious, immediate attention and only the one bay. Everyone had competing opinions of what order the work should be done in. Worrying over the impact of offending various ship-commanders by not placing them high enough on the roster was enough to soften his ardor.

Ren left the refresher, dressed himself in night clothes, and joined him in bed. He smelled nice. Different. Hux took another drag off his cigarra and played with Ren's hair. Ren rolled over, looking up at the cigarra. "I don't like those."

"Don't smoke them, then," Hux told him, taking a pointed drag off it. These were his quarters. He would do as he wished in them. He blew the smoke upward rather than doubling the offense by putting it in Ren's face. That was as much concession as he was interested in making.

The only reason he'd resorted to the cigarra was due to the frustrations of the day. (And other frustrations. Self-imposed ones.) Aside from the ship repair, there were so many other critical events of the day – news release to the media that walked the fine line between truth and propaganda, spinning the battle and their resulting tardiness to show up anywhere to their advantage; delicately-worded communication to the High Command about Snoke's death, Ren's elevation, and the battle situation; the casualty list (stars above! The casualty list!); emergency interim appointments to fill the gaps due to said casualty list (he missed Phasma, she still hadn't been located, but given the chaos, this wasn't conclusive); and-

Ren kissed his shoulder through the pajamas, then moved his arm and kissed his side. Hux sighed and toyed with his hair. So much had gone on today and he was still dealing with stim withdrawal. He was on enough painkillers that his head wasn't killing him, but it didn't make up for the feeling of emptiness or bone-deep fatigue that plagued him. Honestly, lying here was the first time he'd felt good since the night before. But no, that was underplaying the kiss. The kiss had been wonderful.

Ren pulled up Hux's pajama top and kissed the skin over his belly. His cock stirred. He needed to think a little more about his own maintenance. He was no good to anyone if he couldn't function. He thought about telling Ren  _again_  that the answer was no. He didn't. It wasn't like Ren was interfering with anything. He wasn't done with his cigarra, after all. He took another pull off it. Ren pushed down the waistband of his bottoms, kissing lightly along the tender skin of his abdomen.

Hux switched hands for the cigarra and reached down to adjust himself. He was partly erect. The first feel of Ren's breath against his shaft had him rapidly becoming fully hard. Ren wedged his elbow between Hux's thighs, pinning the waistband under it. It gave the rest of the waistband, tight now across his legs, the feeling of straps or restraints.

That was an interesting fantasy – tied down on some interrogation table with Ren servicing him. It would be recorded, like all interrogations, so Hux could review it later at leisure and blackmail Ren with it should he so choose. Ren would start, licking at him as he was now, wetting him, tasting him, exploring him. Hux breathed out heavily. He stamped out the rest of the cigarra and threw it away where a mouse droid might find it later. He wanted both his hands on Ren – one sunk in his hair and the other hooked around his triceps, gripping firm muscle.

"Mm," he hummed as Ren took him into his mouth. The man laid his head on Hux's belly like it was a pillow. Hux rolled his hips slowly, rocking himself back and forth in Ren's mouth as Ren kept up a steady suction. "Kriff." He was a little less restrained on his sounds this time, with softly whimpered, "Oh!"s peppering the quiet. He huffed and sighed and gasped as Ren tested out different angles and positions. Ren's fingers tickled across his hip, teasing, as he slid down the bed to an angle where he could take all of Hux at once.

Ren's eyes flashed up at him, dark and beautiful. "So beautiful," Hux whispered, luxuriating in how the man's tongue cupped him underneath and palate above. It was sinful. Ren's lips were flushed. He'd found the perfect spot and was milking it relentlessly. "Kriff!"

He came a few seconds later, pumping his seed into the man, who swallowed it up completely. Hux sagged back, rubbing fitfully at Ren's arm. Ren applied his hand and some more suction, emptying him as he softened and making sure no excess drool was left on him. Hux grunted. He twisted a handful of Ren's hair. It had to be painful, but Ren finished the job he'd started before he let himself be pulled away.

"I told you we didn't have time for that," Hux remonstrated him.

"But you had time to lie in bed worrying about things you can't change until tomorrow?" Hux frowned at him. He had no answer to that. Ren added, "This way you'll sleep better. I need you at your best."

Hux petted him a few times, smoothing down his hair, then sighed. He did feel sleepy. And couldn't be bothered to remember what he'd been thinking of before Ren stole his concentration. Oh well. Ren was right, though Hux wouldn't admit it. He went to sleep instead.

* * *

They didn't make it to morning. Too soon, his comm began pinging with an alarm tone. Something had happened. Hux climbed over Ren, who grunted but didn't otherwise move. He cursed when he saw the message and hurried to get dressed. After the curse, Ren was moving with him. They left his quarters together, both discussing the emergency.

The smaller section of the Supremacy had lost everything – power, life support, containment field. A quarter or third of the crew would be dead within minutes. There was nothing they could do for them in whole, although he knew every effort was being undertaken right now to save who they could. The remaining ones needed evacuation immediately. They would survive for some hours, but oxygen would run out eventually. They would need to re-route all available resources.

This was one of the worst-case situations Hux had thought about the previous day but not planned for. There were other situations worse still that could happen: they could be attacked, a reactor core could overheat and blow (there were several damaged in the crippled ships of the fleet), the main section of the Supremacy with the majority of the surviving crew could suffer the same fate as the smaller section. They were all such complicated situations that sitting down and working out a detailed recovery plan for each had been untenable, especially while in the middle of directing all resources on the known and present disaster.

 _Possible_  disasters had to take the back seat.

But not now. As they walked, Ren asked for his thoughts and offered his own. He was respectful and cooperative. There was no ordering about or anger. No insecurity that some element of Hux's tone was not properly deferential. By the time they reached the bridge, they had a mutually-agreed upon course of action. They split directions from there without further consultation, each to pursue their own roles. In short, they worked well together for the first time in Hux's professional acquaintance with Ren.

It was a very long two and a half shifts. By the time Hux returned to his quarters, he was exhausted all over again, but too tense to unwind properly in the empty room. Was the supreme leader done with him or simply detained elsewhere? It wasn't like there was a lack of work to do. The uncertainty curdled Hux's gut.

He was sitting at the table trying to sooth himself with a cigarra when Ren came in. Hux had only lit the thing because Ren wasn't here. Now that he was, he refused to snuff it out on principle. Ren said nothing of it this time. He looked as bedraggled as Hux felt.

"You were waiting for me?" Ren asked, brightening slightly.

Unwilling to admit it, Hux sneered at him in response. Ren huffed one laugh and started to undress.

Hux leaned back in his chair, cigarra held up and to the side as he shamelessly watched the show. "Pose for me." Ren looked over his shoulder, dropping the cape he'd already unfastened. It said something about the range of Ren's experience that his idea of 'posing' was to settle into a fighting stance, lightsaber hilt in his hand. Hux gave him an encouraging smile and brow lift. Ren lit it up.

It crackled, spat, and filled the air with an ozone tang to go along with the smoke that the air circulators were already working to handle. Ren smoothly flowed to a few other combat stances, one foot forward or back, lightsaber up, down, or held backwards. All for his viewing pleasure, Hux thought, taking another drag off the cigarra. He never took his eyes off the man.

Ren huffed another laugh and clicked off the saber. He took off his shirt, then his boots and socks. When all Ren had left on were his pants, he came over and knelt next to Hux's seat. He sat on the floor like a penitent or a supplicant. His head bowed. After a moment, his broad shoulders sagged.

Hux raised a brow. He himself was still wearing his full dress uniform, cap and gloves included. His last duty had been to deliver news to some Centrist allies scattered throughout the galaxy, directing them to promote the First Order's continuing takeover despite the absence of nearly half the fleet. They'd done him up in full costume for the speech. Some aide had even applied cosmetics to him. Apparently bags under the eyes were considered inappropriate.

He reached out and tousled Ren's hair, reducing it from loose styling into messy locks. "Tough day?" he asked, blowing out smoke. "I can't imagine you've had it easy. The supreme leader's work is never done. You could have spared yourself all this if you'd let me have the title."

Ren rolled his head back and forth under Hux's hand, humming slightly. "So many deaths. So many."

"Mm, yes. Less than expected from the  _Supremacy_. We did good there. Lost only half of what I was fearing." He released another drag and lifted Ren's face so he could regard it. "What is this here, this blue material decorating your jawline?" It didn't look intentionally placed. He didn't touch it, wondering if it was alien blood and if so, where Ren had found it.

"One of the mover droids was malfunctioning on the hangar bay. Something must have happened to its processor. Technicians … hadn't shown up to fix it."

Hux smirked. "Yes, that would hardly be their highest priority today."

"But it was in the way, impeding rescue efforts, moving crates into landing zones. I cut it apart."

"Ah. And the blue?"

"Some kind of pressurized fluid. I don't know."

Hux have him a whap across the face for no particular reason except he could. Ren's head whipped back around, teeth flashing. He bit a finger, making Hux gasp with the jolting reminder of the feral Utapau woman biting him before her execution. He jerked, pulling most of his finger out of Ren's mouth before realizing he could so only because Ren wasn't biting down. He paused. Ren scraped his teeth along the rest of Hux's finger, bringing them down on the empty bit of leather at the end. He pulled off the glove with a sideways twist of his head, then dropped it into his lap.

Ren moved back, licking gently at Hux's fingers, sucking at the tips of one after another. Hux exhaled heavily. He stubbed out his cigarra on the metal of the table and offered Ren his other hand. "The other glove, too."

Ren complied, but when he started to mouth the newly-revealed hand, Hux pulled it away. He unfastened his pants with it as Ren went back to Hux's other hand. He licked at the webbing between finger and thumb, running his nose along Hux's palm. He bit experimentally into the heel of his palm. Hux sighed in want, stroking himself to hardness. Ren sucked two, then three fingers into his mouth, tonguing the underside of them.

"You greedy thing," Hux murmured, rubbing Ren's tongue with the pads of his fingertips. "You enjoy this – subjugating yourself to me just days after making sure I knew my place."

Ren sucked harder, a whine in the back of his throat. Hux pulled his hand away. "No. You know where  _your_  place is. Now." Ren moved forward, leaning over his lap and working his lips delicately over the head of Hux's cock. Darkly, Hux added, "You have a lot to apologize for. It's a wonder you didn't do more permanent damage to me."

Ren hummed, sinking his mouth down over the shaft until it pressed at the back of his throat and his nose was in Hux's pubes. Hux shifted his hips slightly, making a faint croon before saying, "You have destroyed my ambitions. Clever rascal. How can I depose you while you do this to me? Ah, ah." He panted, mussing Ren's hair as the man got to work sucking and bobbing.

"I hate you," Hux told him, lids fluttering as he gasped. His back arched. He wanted to fuck upward into Ren's mouth, but Ren was holding down his leg, kneading the muscle of his thigh while he sucked and licked and applied his plush lips with vigor. "I must be disgusting from this long day. You are, too. Still covered with the fluid of droids. Kriff. You deserve this."

Hux's fingers clenched on Ren's shoulder as he came. He dug his fingers in hard, watching Ren's throat work, swallowing him down. Ren lifted his head with a smug expression on his face. Hux laughed lightly, bending down and forward. "Come here. I'm feeling generous." He kissed Ren, tasting himself as he plunged his tongue inside Ren's mouth. He took him until he was satisfied of Ren's submission.

Hux pushed him away and sagged back in the chair. "Whatever we take in this galaxy, I get my fair share of it."

"Of course." Ren wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, then scratched at the blue stuff still stuck to his jaw.

"Just so you know." Hux tucked himself away and refastened his pants, even though he intended to take them off soon enough for a shower.

"I know," Ren rumbled. It seemed to mean something deeper for him. More complicated maybe. Hux didn't ask. He levered himself up to his feet, ran his hand through Ren's hair, and slapped him on the shoulder as he walked by on his way to the refresher.


	3. Unconditional Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux and Ren start cautiously opening up to one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really the last chapter. It is! I'm not lying this time!

Hux woke to the sensation of someone touching his neck. It was so strange as to be jarring. Hux snatched Ren's hand away from him. He glared at the man for his boldness.

Unperturbed, Ren said, "I didn't see the bruises last night."

"Because I was wearing cosmetics," Hux hissed. "I bruise easily. None of our enemies or even our allies need to see such signs of division between us." He shoved away Ren's hand as he released it. "Half the crew know what you did. It undermines my authority and makes you look unhinged and vindictive. You're no better than Snoke."

He climbed out of bed, heart pounding uncomfortably in his chest. He picked up his datapad, ignoring how Ren rolled to face him. Ren asked, "Did Snoke fellate you often?"

Hux fumbled the datapad, almost dropping it at the absurd question. He whirled on Ren. "Do you think that just because you've sucked me off a few times I've forgotten what else you did?" He gestured first at his groin, then at his neck.

"What I think is that if you didn't have feelings about the one, you wouldn't feel betrayed by the other."

"How dare you!"

"Yes," Ren said calmly. "I dare."

Hux wanted to hit him, but he found himself weak. His father wouldn't hesitate, surely. He'd relentlessly drilled into Armitage the value of striking first and lethally and never, ever harboring 'feelings' that weren't hard, cold, and vicious. Then why had he moved so slowly when he found Ren crumpled on the floor of Snoke's chambers, still breathing, but defenseless? Why did he feel such outright antipathy now to striking him in a serious fashion? He put down his datapad. That must have been the reason for his hesitation – he'd needed his hands free.

Ren interrupted before Hux had worked out what exactly he needed his hands free to do. "Do you know what Snoke's last words were?"

Hux stopped a step from the bed. That was a tempting piece of information. "What? What were they?"

"He narrated his own death." Ren sprawled on the bed, stretching. This, too, was tempting. Hux watched. The fabric of his pajamas shifted slightly as his penis filled at the sight. Ren continued, "Because he could read a person's mind, he was arrogant enough to think that meant he knew what they would do. I know your thoughts. But I don't know what you'll  _do_. I tried punishing you. As you say, I look unhinged. Like a monster. Now I'm trying something else. I feel human when I'm with you."

Hux climbed on the bed, straddling him with his weight over Ren's belly. He put his hands on Ren's neck in a pantomime of strangling him. "Human? Humans are mortal. I should throttle the life out of you and take the title for myself."

Ren tilted back his head, baring his throat. "Go ahead."

Hux didn't believe it. He had enough combat training to know his grip was a farce. It was impossible to asphyxiate someone at this angle unless he were either lucky enough to crush their trachea or physically superior enough to maintain his grip while they struggled. Ren had excellent leverage to shove him off, punch his ribs, gouge his eyes, or any of a dozen other maneuvers. Not to mention the Force. The only way he could kill Ren like this was if Ren allowed it … as he'd said he would.

Hux's fingers pressed in slightly. He could feel Ren's heartbeat and the subtle movements of his breathing. His skin was warm. It was smooth where it wasn't bristled. Hux leaned in, scooting down Ren's body as he would have to if he were to bring his lips to Ren's. He felt the shudder that passed through Ren's form, and the huffing of Ren's breath against his cheek.

Hux's brows drew together. He sat up abruptly and smacked Ren across the face, then dismounted. "Go clean yourself. You stink."

"What?" Ren looked more dumbfounded than a mind-reader had a right to be, though admittedly Hux's shift in intention had been quick.

"I'm not sticking my tongue in there to find out if you taste as foul as you smell!"

He thought about pointing to the refresher, but Ren was moving before he could. He seemed very motivated all of a sudden. Hux picked up the datapad again, skimming through the reports from the night before. No new disasters had happened. The plans they'd put in motion the day before would carry on without additional orders for at least the next cycle.

He put it down and moved the refresher door, leaning on it. First Order officer's nightclothes weren't revealing, but it was hard for any amount of cloth to conceal how attractive this man was. Ren had hurriedly combed his hair and was now preparing to clean his mouth. Hux said, "With the alacrity you're showing, one might think you were eager."

Ren glanced over at him in the mirror. "I like the kissing." Then he ducked his head as though having immediate misgivings about having admitted as much.

"Hm." It was the first thing Ren had said he liked about the arrangement, but Hux supposed Ren's repeat appearances in his bed had to mean something as well. He made a mental note to kiss Ren thoroughly and often. Hux moved behind him, running his hand possessively under Ren's pajama shirt and along the bare skin of the small of his back. Ren sighed softly and started on his teeth. Hux pulled out his own implements to do the same. It would not do to be filthy when he had the opportunity to be otherwise.

Ren finished first. Hux finished and took extra time to tame his own bed-head. His hair was thin and tended to be flyaway if he didn't gel it, but a night of sleep and a comb convinced it to behave for the moment. Ren was naked. He was lying on his stomach, head sideways on the bunched pillow. Hux stripped off his pajamas and took a moment to admire Ren's form.

He trailed a hand lightly down Ren's side. Ren shivered and said, "Take me."

"What makes you think I want any of this?" His hand circled one of Ren's ample butt cheeks.

"Mind-reading." Smug asshole.

Hux chuckled. "You were just telling me how fallible that is. Roll over." Ren did. Hux climbed on him, straddling his waist with his buttocks roughly over Ren's groin.

Ren's eyes widened as his big hands settled on Hux's hips. "Oh."

"Oh?" Hux asked archly.

"I … You fantasized about the other. About taking me. Not about this."

"I've fantasized about your death, yet here you are." Hux bent forward, teasing his lips over Ren's. "You will find I am a strategist with a scientific mind and a great incentive to perform," his tongue licked along Ren's lower lip, evoking a groan from the man, "satisfactorily." He finished with a light kiss. "Why would I try something I have no experience of and haven't had time to research adequately? You're the supreme leader. This way it's your fault if something goes wrong."

Ren chuckled, but there wasn't much humor in it. "It's always my fault."

"It is," Hux said teasingly, but then turned serious as he added, "and so is this." He kissed Ren passionately, lips sealing over his and his tongue delving inside. Ren moaned into his mouth. Ren's hands drifted, with one going to Hux's bare ass and the other stroking up and down his thigh. Hux could feel the man's erection hardening against his inner thigh. Apparently Kylo truly did enjoy the kissing.

Hux nipped at his lips, tugging at them to Ren's breathy sighs and pleased croons. Hux most liked just devouring his mouth, working at his spit-slicked lips until his head was spinning. Ren liked that, too, to judge by the fully erect penis under him now. The hand on Hux's thigh moved to the inside, where it stroked Hux's burgeoning erection a few times, then passed further back to cup and fondle his balls. Hux stayed busy with Ren's mouth, but he felt poised. Ready. Or so he imagined that was what he was feeling. Anticipation had never been so intimate before.

Ren's hand went back further, fingers curling upward along his crack. The other hand gripped his butt cheek and pulled it aside to spread him. Ren's fingers found his opening and tickled over it and the hairs around it.

Hux stopped kissing and just hung there over Ren's face. There were only so many things he could process at once. He had to wonder what he looked like from behind – one cheek spread to the side, with Ren's big fingers massaging at him. His breath was uneven. His head tilted down until his forehead rested between Ren's brows. The tips of their noses touched.

Ren pressed against his opening … which did not yield, despite Hux's arousal. Ren fumbled slightly, pressing other spots, but Hux was already moving with a disgusted noise. "No, never mind. I should have thought-"

"Don't- Please-"

Hux froze at Ren's concerned tone, his hand on the wall next to the bed. "'Please'? I like the sound of that. Tell me that more often." He turned back, opened the compartment, and sorted through things until he had the lubricant he used in masturbation. He handed it off to a relieved Ren, then straddled him again, sitting upright for now. He stroked himself a few times as Ren dispensed gel and playfully smeared a dollop on the tip of Hux's penis. He incorporated that into his stroking.

"You want to hear me beg?" Ren asked. "Is that it?"

Loftily, Hux said, "I want to know I'm valuable to you. Useful."

"You are," Ren said without hesitation. "You are. More than I had ever expected." Or maybe it was 'You are more than I had ever expected' – Hux wasn't sure, what with that faint New Republic accent Ren had. It gave his words a foreign cadence. Hux liked both statements. He leaned down to kiss the mouth that said such things about him. Genuine compliments were rare and deserved to be savored.

"Let me please you," Ren murmured when Hux moved on to kiss along his cheek. His hand had reached between Hux's legs again. He smeared him liberally, massaged again, and soon enough the lubricated tip of his finger slipped inside more easily than either of them had expected. Hux jumped and made a startled noise. Ren looked caught between abashed and amused.

Hux settled back and kissed him again.  _Do it again,_  he thought, assuming Ren would hear him.  _More._

Ren gave a subtle nod and pressed inside more slowly this time. It felt good. Ticklish and odd, but good. One finger was swiftly joined by another and again, Hux lost the ability to continue kissing. He was hardly able to think. Ren's fingers were not small. Although the angle prevented the man from getting very deep, the girth was the same. Ren moved them – in and out, in circles, side to side. He attempted to spread them. He pulled downward in a hooking motion until Hux assumed he was gaping. It felt like he was.

He was panting into Ren's ear, his ass in the air. Once more, he was struck by how lewd this must look. Ren paused in his ministrations to nibble at Hux's earlobe and rub the tip of his nose along Hux's ear. It brought back some of Hux's higher mental functions. He chuckled at the sensation. "Fuck me, you brat. Show me how it's done."

"As you command."

Ren seemed to zone out for a moment and then his hand moved a very wet penis in line with Hux's ass. Either Ren had grown a third arm, or lube had been dispensed via the Force. Hux wondered if there were rules against something so profane, but Ren would know better than he and it wasn't like Hux was complaining. He pressed back, shifting a few inches, feeling the pressure against himself build. One of Ren's hands was occupied reinforcing his own dick. The other was petting Hux's butt cheek encouragingly.

Hux asked, "Leaving it up to me to spear myself?"

"If you want me, this," he amended immediately. For all Ren's powers, he was just a man.

"I do." Hux pressed back and felt himself open around the head of Ren's cock. It wasn't painful but translated as 'heat' for some reason. He eased forward and pressed back again, taking it in rocking motions. Ren's phallus was bigger than two fingers, that was for sure. Anatomically, Hux assumed he could take it. Though he might have harbored a few disavowed doubts.

It felt remarkably different when Ren penetrated him deeper. Ren breathed out, "Oh," while Hux gasped and curled forward when he slid past whatever initial barrier his anatomy provided. Hux suspected he needed to do a great deal of research on this matter at some future point.

Ren put both hands on Hux's hips and pressed him back and down. Hux found himself trembling without intending to. The feeling of being physically invaded was too new. Ren was actually inserted within him now, pushing up into him and pulling back in short shifts of his hips. Hux's breathing hitched with each.

He wouldn't have said it hurt exactly (although it did – it felt like his traitorous asshole was trying mightily to iris shut over Ren's dick; it had to feel impossibly tight). Mostly he couldn't think. Couldn't act. Couldn't do anything. He was frozen and not thinking. Maybe the lack of thought was why Ren was continuing, now kissing at his cheek, nuzzling at him as he worked at least half his length inside.

At that point, some flicker of consciousness returned. Hux had an ache in his ass but every motion was making it better. He wanted to be fucked more than anything. "More!"

"Careful, Hux." Hux distantly recognized the tame mockery. How Ren could keep his wits at a time like this and make- Then Ren complied and Hux's thoughts dulled out again. Ren moved a hand up to the small of Hux's back and kept the other at his hip. He pistoned faster.

Hux felt like a mess of sensation. He'd flattened himself against Ren at some point. He felt hot where they touched and intermittently hot then cold then hot again across the rest of him. His breathing was ragged. His skin was sweaty. His nerves were singing.

He tried thrusting back against Ren and unexpectedly took another finger's width of cock. Then he realized that by some instinct he'd taken an ass-up position, which was only working at all due to Ren's impressive endowments. He tilted his hips down and took even more. His eyes squeezed shut. He was whimpering. He hoped Ren never mentioned this in any disparaging capacity. He had to look humiliatingly wanton.

"You look incredible," Ren whispered. "Handsome. Glowing." He drew out the next word: "Re-cept-ive. I never imagined you would want me like this. It takes my breath away." Ren ran his clean hand up Hux's spine and then through his hair. "You are so valuable to me. I've never been with anyone like this. You are irreplaceable." His hand ghosted along the side of Hux's neck. "I will never hurt you like this again."

There was wetness between their faces. Inexplicably, Hux realized he was crying. He could barely breathe around choking sobs. During his words, Ren had never slowed down fucking him, filling and refilling him, sliding his length back and forth through Hux's body. The ache was gone, replaced by a hunger for more. Hux's fingers were white-knuckled where they curled into Ren's shoulders. Ren would be the one bruised the next day from it.

Ren dropped his hand from Hux's hip to his dick, hitherto ignored between them. He clasped it and began to pump at him. Hux was gasping around sobs, his composure gone, his emotions spinning wildly. He couldn't have pinpointed exactly when he came. He felt light-headed and then bone-deep relaxed.

Ren cupped the back of his head and wrapped his other arm around his waist, then rolled them both over. Hux was beyond caring what position they were in. At least at first, he was beyond noticing his rear end wasn't on the bed. What he did notice was the new position allowed every bit of Ren's length to sink inside of him.

Ren held his hips and pounded into him, hard. He didn't last long, but every thrust stole Hux's breath. Tears leaked across his temples and were lost in his hair. When Ren came, he could feel the man's cock pulsing at his entrance, filling him up inside, he assumed. That was when he finally realized his posterior was … floating.

Hux tilted his head to the side, looking as he struggled to catch his breath. He waved a weak hand into the empty space. Ren lowered him quickly. All Hux could say was, "Huh."

Ren leaned over him, arms extended on either side as he looked down at Hux. Their eyes met. He knew Ren was reading his mind, but he wasn't thinking much of anything. He was slowly trying to reassemble coherent thought. He'd heard the term 'fucked silly' before and 'came so hard I went blind' but never knew these to be actual physical responses to sex. Or maybe it was just Ren. Force user. Supreme Leader. Skywalker Whatever.

His lover, he supposed. He had one. That was amazing. Even more that it was someone like Ren. "Come here," Hux finally said.

Ren carefully extricated himself and lay next to him. Hux lifted an arm and wrapped it over Ren's shoulders. Ren laid his head on Hux's upper arm and shoulder. After a beat, Ren asked, "You don't mind the Force?"

Hux petted him. "Most of my life has been in pursuit of power. I gain nothing from limiting yours. I would, of course, prefer not to be injured by them."

Ren shook his head slowly in denial that he would do that again. Hux didn't entirely believe him, but he assumed their relations had gained him some respite. He would work from there.

"Good," Hux told him. "That's settled." Hux sighed and caressed Ren's arm. He'd really, really enjoyed this – the sex, Ren's compliments during it, the cooperation, even … yes, being 'receptive'. In the aftermath, Ren was being calm with him. Quiet. Snuggling, cuddling, whatever it was they were doing. It was a step beyond sleeping together. He liked it. He liked being touched and allowed to touch. There was so much bare skin, so many … feelings. He couldn't categorize most of them.

Hux said, "If I am truly to approach this in a scientific manner, I will need a sample size larger than one occurrence."

Ren chuckled and turned his smiling face against the side of Hux's chest. Hux smiled as well, stroking his arm.

"Think you can indulge me?" Hux asked.

"Please."


End file.
